Filling element and filling system comprising such a filling element

ABSTRACT

A filling element for filling systems for filling bottles or similar containers ( 2 ) with a hot liquid product, comprising a liquid channel ( 14, 15 ), which is formed in the filling element ( 1 ), has a filling valve ( 9 ) and forms at least one discharge opening, via which, by controlled opening and closing of the liquid valve ( 9 ), the liquid product can be introduced into the respective container ( 2 ) that has been raised towards the filling element ( 1 ) in a lifting movement, and comprising at least one flow path ( 16, 17, 18 ), which is formed in the liquid valve ( 1 ) and, for heating the filling element ( 1 ), can be connected to a hot circulation of the liquid product, characterized in that control means ( 5.2 ) are provided and, by the lifting movement of the container ( 2 ) to be filled, open the liquid valve ( 9 ) and block the flow path ( 16, 17, 18 ) for the hot circulation or reduce the effective flow cross section of this flow path ( 16, 17, 18 ), and in that optionally, at least over part of the length of the flow path ( 16, 17, 18 ) for the hot circulation, the inner surface of this flow path is profiled, for example provided with ribs ( 30 ), to increase the surface area that comes into contact with the product and/or to create a turbulent flow of the product.

The invention relates to a filling device as per the heading of Patent claim 1 and to a filling system as per heading of Patent claim 17.

There is a frequent requirement to fill products at a high product temperature that is required for hot, sterile filling, for example at product temperatures in the range of between 90 and 95° C. Problems arise with this type of hot filling process or with the filling devices that are used for this hot filling, amongst other things due to the fact that the filling devices of a filling machine that are used for the controlled filling of the respective product or content must already be at the elevated product temperature before the filling process is commenced, as this is the only way to prevent the content that is to be introduced to the filling devices in the heated condition from cooling down in an undesirable manner during the filling process. Thus a pre-heating of the filling devices is necessary prior to starting the filling process. In a similar way, also in the event of any interruptions to a filling process, both the content and the devices of a filling machine must be maintained for example at the required temperature range of between 90 and 95° C., so that the filling process can be restarted immediately using filling devices that are at the correct temperature.

Filling systems or filling machines for resolving these problems are already known, in which the filling devices are drawn into a so-called heating device, i.e. a partial current of the hot content is conducted through the filling device in, for example, a closed circulation that has a heating device, in order to heat the content and/or to maintain it at the respective required temperature. But the negative aspect of these known filling systems or filling machines of this type is, amongst other things, the fact that exceptionally costly, delicate and high-priced ventilation arrangements are needed.

The task of the invention is to present a filling device, which can be heated with a simplified design in the hot circulation. A filling device has been designed to resolve this problem as per Patent claim 1. A filling system is the object of Patent claim 17.

The special advantage of the invention arises from the fact that the liquid valve of the respective filling device in addition to the flow channel that has been designed for the hot circulation are both controlled solely by the movement of the particular container that is to be filled, i.e. the liquid valve is opened when the container is connected to and/or pressed onto the filling device and the flow path for the hot circulation is thereby closed or anyway restricted and reversed when the filled container is removed from the filling device, the liquid valve of which is then closed again and the flow path for the hot circulation is fully opened.

Further modifications, advantages and possible applications of the invention also result from the following description of examples of the design and from the illustrations. In this, all of the characteristics described and/or presented in illustrated form are basically the object of the invention either on their own or in any combination, regardless of their summarization in the claims or of their retroactive application. Also the content of the claims is made as an integral part of the description.

The invention is explained here-below in greater detail by means of illustrations of an example of the design. These show:

FIG. 1—a filling situation of a filling machine of a rotating type in a simplified illustration, with the filling device closed, together with a container in the form of a bottle lowered against the filling device;

FIG. 2—the filling position as per FIG. 1 together with the bottle raised against the filling device;

FIGS. 3 and 4—the filling device with closed and opened liquid valve in an enlarged illustration

FIG. 5—a cross section of the casing parts of the two-piece filling device casing as per the line I-I of FIG. 1.

In the illustrations, item I is one of the filling devices of a filling machine of the circulating type of design for the non-pressurized filling of containers in the form of bottles 2 with a hot liquid content by way of an example with a content, which for a hot filling process is at a temperature of between about 90 and 95° C. The filling device 1 is installed together with a large number of similar filling devices 1 of a similar design on the periphery of a drivable rotor 3 that rotates around a vertical machine axis. This has amongst other things a common boiler 4 for all of the filling devices, for example a ring-type boiler, which is partly filled with hot liquid content, that is to say with the level being controlled up to the level N, so that within the inner chamber of the boiler 4 there is a lower liquid chamber 4.1 into which the hot liquid content flows and located above this there is a gas chamber 4.2 which is filled for example with an inert gas.

The filling devices 1 are in each case fixed to the filling device casing 5 on the base of the boiler 4. Each filling device casing 5 is of a two-piece design and actually consists of a part of the casing 5.1 that is fixed to the rotor 3 or to the base of the boiler 4 and of a part of the casing 5.2 positioned vertically in relation to the casing part and which is movable in the direction of a filling device axis FA in fact between a lower lift position that is shown in FIG. 1 or 3 and a higher lift position that is shown in FIG. 2 or 4. The casing part 5.2 is pre-stressed into the lower lift position by means of springs acting between the casing parts 5.1. and 5.2, which, in the version of the design that is illustrated, are in the form of a compression spring 6 that is fitted in the side of the casing and concentrically encloses the axis FA.

The casing part 5.2 consists for the most part of a valve plate 7, which is perpendicularly oriented with its top sides to the axis FA and the compression spring 5 also abuts against its top side and of a filler pipe that is open at both ends or of a filler pipe 8, which passes through the valve plate 7 in a sealed manner and penetrates into the casing part 5.1 with its upper filler pipe section 8.1. The filler pipe 8 projects over the base of the valve plate 7 with a lower filler pipe section 8.2 and forms a delivery opening at its lower end with a liquid base 9 for the controlled filling of the bottles 2 with the liquid content, as will be described in more detail here-below.

In the version of the design that is illustrated, the liquid valve 9 is realized as a foot valve and consists for the most part of a valve body 10, which is provided at the lower projecting end of a gas return pipe 11 that is arranged on the same axis as the axis FA and works in conjunction with a valve body surface with a valve surface that is in the form of a seal 12, which is formed from the lower edge of the opening of the filler pipe section 8.2. The gas return pipe 11, which extends through the valve casing 5 and in a sealed manner through the liquid chamber 4.1 of the boiler into the adjacent gas chamber 4.2, forms a gas return channel 13, which, in the version of the design that is illustrated, remains constantly open on the base of the filling device 1, i.e. in the valve body 10 and also on the end of the pipe that extends into the gas chamber 4.2.

An annular channel 14, which discharges into a channel 15 in the casing part 5.1 that is formed at the top end of the filler pipe 8, is formed within the filler pipe 8 between the inner surface of this filler pipe and the outer surface of the gas return pipe 11, which is connected to the liquid chamber 4.1 of the boiler 4 in the area of the base of the boiler. The channel 15 also continues in a annular channel section 16 that concentrically encloses the axis FA, and which is formed between the outer surface of the filler pipe section 8.1 and the inner surface of the casing part 5.1 and with this in particular the inner surface of a tube-like casing section 5.1.1 of the casing part 5.1 that encloses with a clearance the filler pipe section 8.1. The channel section 16 is positioned on the lower edge of the opening of the casing section 5.1.1 that is next to the valve plate 7 above a annular opening 17 that surrounds the axis FA, which is formed between this edge of the opening and the top side of the valve plate 7, connected to a annular channel 18 that encloses the casing section 5.1.1 in a annular-shaped manner, which, being located externally in the environment, is sealed off by a cladding, which enables the movement of the casing part 5.2 in relation to the casing part 5.1, i.e. is able to be axially shortened and lengthened in the direction of the axis FA and which is in the form of bellows 19 in the version of the design that is illustrated. The annular channel 18 is connected to an annular channel 20 on the top end that is located furthest away from the annular opening 17, which is provided in or on the rotor 3 for all of the filling devices 1 of the filling machine or else jointly for a group of such filling devices.

A seal 21 is fitted on the projecting filler pipe section 8.2, which is above the base of the valve plate 7, which abuts against the base of the valve plate 7 via a spacer 22 and above which the filler pipe section 8.2 projects downwards with a filler pipe part length. 8.2.1.

A container support 23 is allocated to each filling device 1 of the filling machine, which in the version of the design that is illustrated, is designed for a suspended gripping of the bottles 2 on their flaring 2.2 that is provided below the bottle mouth 2.1 The container support 23 is guided onto the rotor 3 by means of a guiding rod 24 in the axis FA that can be moved between a lowered lift position (FIG. 1) and a raised lift position (FIG. 2) and is actually controlled by a cam roller 25, which operates in conjunction with a control cam 26 that is not circumferential with the rotor 3. The respective container support 23 in the version of the design that is illustrated, which forms a filling position 27 together with the related filling device 1, is pre-stressed into the raised lift position by means of a spring that is not illustrated.

The containers or bottles 2 are guided to the individual filling positions 27, 30 with the container support lowered, so that the bottle mouth 2.1 is positioned directly with clearance below the respective filling device 1. The container support 23 is then raised with the bottle 2, so that it comes into contact with its bottle mouth 2.1 against the seal 21 and the casing part 5.2 is moved upwards into the higher lift position over the bottle 2 and against the effect of the spring 6. Here the liquid valve 9 opens so that the liquid content can flow in from the boiler 4 via the liquid channel formed by the channel 15 and the annular channel 14 and the opened liquid valve 9 can enter the bottle 2, whereby the compressed air is channelled from the bottle 2 by the liquid content via the gas return channel.

The filling process is then automatically stopped, as soon as the rising level of the content in the bottle 2 has reached the lower end of the gas return pipe 11 that has been inserted into the bottle 2 or when this end is slightly immersed into the level of the content and with this the gas return channel 13 is closed. The filling level in the filled bottles 2 is determined by the filler pipe part length 8.2.1 and can be adjusted using spacers 22 with differing axial dimensions. When the respectively filled bottles 2 are lowered, the liquid valve 9 is closed again due to the lowering of the casing part 5.2 as is per se known by the specialist.

The lower lift position of the casing part 5.2 is defined by the fact that the filler pipe section 8.2 is positioned with its lower edge against the body of the valve 10 or of its seal 12. The upper lift position of the casing part 5.2 is defined by the fact that the valve plate 7 is positioned against the lower edge of the casing section 5.1.1.

A characteristic of the filling device 1 arises from the fact that it is possible for heating of the filling devices to have a hot circulation of the liquid content from the liquid chamber 4.2 through the channel 15, the channel section 16 and the annular channel of each filling device 1 into the annular channel 20 and from this via a product pump 29 and a heating device 29 back into the liquid chamber 4.1 of the boiler 4. An effective heating of the filling devices 1 is achieved by means of this heating circulation, so that these can be pre-heated to the required raised product temperature and can be maintained at the requisite desired temperature in the event of an interruption of the filling process and any cooling down of the hot content within the filling devices 1 is effectively avoided both at the start of the filling process and in the event of a resumption of the filling process after an interruption.

A further characteristic arises from the fact that solely though the raising and lowering of the respective bottle 2 not only is the opening and closing of the liquid valve 9, but also the hot circulation through the filling device controlled in the manner described above. As in particular a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4 in fact shows, the annular opening 17 for the hot circulation or for the flow-though of the channel section 16 and of the annular channel 18 with the hot content is fully opened with the casing part 5.2 in the lower lift position and with the liquid valve 9 closed.

When the casing part 5.2 is raised and the liquid valve 9 is opened, the annular opening becomes increasingly smaller, i.e. the effective flow cross-section of the flow path formed by the channel section 16 and the annular channel 18 is reduced until the valve plate 7 is positioned finally against the lower edge of the casing section 5.1.1 and due to this not only is the lifting movement upwards of the casing part 5.2 brought to an end, but also the annular opening 17 is completely closed. With this, the whole of the content to be inserted during the filling process flows into the respective filling device in the interests of achieving the shortest possible filling time and thereby the highest possible output from the filling machine (number of filled bottles per unit of time) via the opened liquid valve 9 of the respective bottle 2, but when the liquid valve 9 is closed, i.e. before and after the respective filling phase, the annular opening 17 is fully opened for the hot circulation.

In order develop the heating of the filling devices 1 with the requisite partial flow of the liquid content in a particularly effective way, projecting fins 30 are provided on the inner surface of the casing part 5.1 and of the tube-like casing section 5.1.1, which project radially above these inner surfaces, as is illustrated in FIG. 5. A significant enlargement of the inner surface that is in contact with the content that flows through the channel section 16 occurs thanks to these fins 30, which extend to the outer surface of the filler pipe section 8.1 in the version of the design that is illustrated. Furthermore a certain turbulence of the flow of the content is caused by the fins 30, which also improves the release of heat from the content onto the casing 5.

Despite the heating of the filling device 1 by the content that is controlled and supported in the heat circulation and the advantages that this brings, the filling device has a simplified design.

The heating of the filling device 1 through the content that is supported in the hot circulation is particularly effective also due to the fact that this content, which is supported in the bypass-flow through the filling device 1 and flows in the channel section 16 directly in relation to the axis FA axially in the direction of the base of the filling device and then finally through the annular opening 17 axially in the direction of the top side of the filling device, actually provides, with a more compact and particularly shorter design of the filling device 1 also in the direction of the axis FA, a relatively longer flow path for the content that heats the filling device 1 in the casing 5.

The filling level of the content in the respective bottles is thus determined by the length, with which the filler pipe section 8.1 projects over the base of the seal 21 and thereby during the filling process extends into the interior of the bottle 2 through the mouth of the bottle 2.1.

The invention has been described above using one example of the design. It should be understood that changes and variations are possible, without thereby departing from original concepts of the design.

LIST OF DRAWING REFERENCES

-   -   1 Filling device     -   2 Support or bottle     -   2.1 Bottle mouth     -   2.2 Flange of the mouth     -   3 Rotor     -   4 Boiler     -   4.1 Liquid chamber of the boiler 4     -   4.2 Gas chamber of the boiler 4     -   5 Filling device casing     -   5.1,5.2 Casing part     -   5.1.1 Casing section     -   6 Spring     -   7 Valve plate     -   8 Filler pipe     -   8.1,8.2 Filler pipe section     -   8.2.1 Filler pipe part length     -   9 Liquid valve     -   10 Valve body     -   11 Gas return pipe     -   12 Seal     -   13 Gas return channel     -   14 Annular channel     -   15 Channel     -   15.1 Opening     -   16 Channel section     -   17 Annular opening     -   18 Annular channel     -   19 Movable cladding or bellows     -   20 Annular channel     -   21 Seal     -   22 Spacer     -   23 Container support     -   24 Guide rod     -   25 Cam roller     -   26 Control cam     -   27 Filling position     -   28 Product pump     -   29 Heating device     -   FA Filling device axis     -   N Level 

1. An apparatus for filling containers with hot liquid content, said apparatus comprising: a filling device having a liquid channel formed therein, a liquid valve forming at least one discharge opening from the liquid channel, through which the liquid content can be introduced, through a controlled opening and closing of the liquid valve, into containers that are raised against the filling device in a lifting movement, at least one flow path formed in the liquid valve for connection with a hot circulation of the liquid content for heating the filling device, and control systems for raising the container to be filled, opening the liquid valve, and blocking the flow path or reducing the effective flow cross-section of the flow path.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flow path for connection with the hot circulation is completely blocked or closed by the lifting movement of the container to be filled.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control systems comprise: a casing part or device that is movable between at least a first lift position and a second lift position, the casing part or device including a container installation and/or sealing surface for the containers that are to be filled and being configured to be jointly moved with the latter in the lifting process.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least a part of the liquid channel is formed in or on the movable casing part or device and/or in an adjacent filler pipe.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the liquid valve comprises a valve body, and a valve seat is formed in and/or on the liquid channel and/or filler pipe, the valve seat being positioned against the valve body in the first lift position of the movable casing part or device for closing the liquid valve.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the casing part or device, in conjunction with a further casing part or casing section, forms at least one controllable opening in the flow path of the hot circulation, the controllable opening being closed or having a reduced flow cross-section in the second lift position of the casing part or device.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one controllable opening abuts against the movable casing part or device in the second lift position thereof.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the casing part or device extends into a channel formed in the further casing part with at least a first filler pipe section forming a part length of the liquid channel, the channel being connected to a tank or boiler for the liquid content, and wherein an annular channel section is formed between an outer surface of the first filler pipe section and an inner surface of the further casing part or of the casing section of the further casing part, the annular channel section being part of the flow path for the hot circulation.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flow path for the hot circulation comprises at least two channels or channel sections formed within the filling device in such a way that the flow direction runs inversely into the channel sections.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one channel or channel section for the flow path is connected from the hot circulation to a channel connected to a tank or boiler (4) for the liquid content, and wherein at least one further channel or channel section of the flow path for the hot circulation is connected to a conveyor line.
 11. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the filler pipe projects with a further filler pipe section out of a casing of the filling device.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the further filler pipe section forms the valve seat of the liquid valve that is produced at its end as a foot valve.
 13. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a gas return pipe forming at least one gas return channel, the gas return channel being enclosed on one part length by the filler pipe in such a way that the part of the liquid channel that is formed in the movable casing part or device is an annular channel enclosing the gas return pipe.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the valve body of the liquid valve is fitted on the return gas pipe.
 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flow path for the hot circulation comprises at least one inner channel or channel section, and an outer channel or channel section that encloses the inner channel or channel section, the outer channel or channel section being limited by wall means, extending between the movable casing part or device and the further casing part and enabling the movement of the movable casing part or device.
 16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising fins on at least one part length of an inner surface of the flow path for the hot circulation, the fins being configured for raising the surface that comes into contact with the liquid content and/or profiled for creating a turbulence in the flow of the liquid content.
 17. (canceled)
 18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drivable rotor that rotates around a vertical machine axis, wherein the filling devices is one of a plurality of identical filling devices mounted on the rotor.
 19. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the casing part or device is movable axially within a filling device axis.
 20. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least two channels or channel sections are connected to each other via the controllable opening.
 21. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the flow direction runs inversely into the channel sections along a filling device axis.
 22. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the conveyor line comprises a heating device for recirculation of the liquid content to the tank or to the boiler.
 23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the wall means comprises bellows. 